Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide: Day 32
If you haven’t created your own photo book yet, now is the perfect time to give it a shot. I recently found Mixbook and was so excited to see that it solved all of my reservations I had had about photobook software in the past. I got to create my own custom Mixbook online this past week and was quite impressed by how quick and efficient it is as well as all the various options to make it truly personal. After having tried four other photo book sites in the past, I can honestly say that I am a quickly becoming a photo book expert. The one complaint I have had with other photobook sites is the fact that a lot of the time my pictures don’t fit within the pre-made templates the site offers. While some allow a little bit of customization here and there, you typically are choosing between templates that have already been designed and I find myself getting frustrated that I don’t have pictures to fit their specific layouts.
With totally custom layout and design functions as well an easy photo upload from various photo sharing sites like Flickr and Facebook, it was easy to get started on Mixbook. Whereas other photobook programs I have tried tended to be too basic for my needs, I thought that Mixbook was the perfect option for those who desire a greater element of design. If you’ve never tried making a photo book and are scared by the idea that you have full design control, you will be happy to note that there are also pre designed templates that you can use if you get overwhelmed when faced with unlimited possibilities. This makes it great for those who haven’t created a book before as well as those who desire a good starting point before customizing.
The Mixbook process is simple, just upload your photos from your computer or the photo sharing sites and then choose between book designs and templates or choose “blank canvas”. You then drag and drop your pictures into the book however you would like. As well as adding pictures, backgrounds and more, you can also customize your book with scrapbook type design elements if you desire. The one thing I absolutely loved on the Mixbook photo book software is the photo editing tool, which allows you to edit the picture easily once it is placed in the book. Whereas other software site require you to click on the picture and an edit screen will pop up, it makes it so much easier to edit directly in the book as well as making it so you can see what the finished product looks like better.
Being able to drag the picture around and zoom while still in book mode is so much more efficient and shaved a good hour off the designing of the book for me. For someone that likes to do a lot of editing, this is definitely a huge selling point for me and something I am incredibly excited about. Even better is that you can add in some really cool features like borders, shadows, photo shapes and more, which are instrumental in making your book really come alive. When you are finished editing and reviewing your book, you then order it directly from their site and it is printed, professionally bound and then shipped to you within days. I chose an 8x11 custom landscape hardbound photo book that comes with 20 pages you can fill however you like. While I haven’t seen the finished book yet, I can honestly say that this is the most excited I have ever been about a photobook creation!
I will definitely be returning to Mixbook for more photo books to help record all these important milestones as our children grow. If you’re looking for ideas for making your own customized photo book for yourself or for holiday presents, here is some inspiration: Baby’s firsts, Grandparent brag books, travel journals, family heirloom books, wedding albums, birthday books, anniversaries, or even to showcase your kids {or your own} artistic abilities by scanning in original artwork!
If you would prefer a smaller book or a large coffee table masterpiece, there are other mini and large format options to choose from, as well as different covers, themes and templates to help you get started.
And, enter promo code RAVEMX20 at checkout to receive 20% off at Mixbook... no expiration!
One lucky Rave and Review reader will win a 20 page 8.5 x 11 Hardcover Mixbook of their very own (with free shipping)!
To Enter: Simply visit Mixbook and tell me what theme you would choose for your book
And, as always, there are extra entries available!
1) Subscribe to Rave and Review, top of right sidebar (2 extra entries, must be verified to count)
2) "Like" Mixbook on Facebook (2 extra entries, just leave FB name in comments)
3) Tweet about this Giveaway using @raveandreview, @Mixbook and #giveaway with the link to this post (http://bit.ly/hCgsL3) after following (daily Tweet, just post link here)
4) Blog about this Giveaway with links back to this post as well as the www.raveandreview.com homepage (just post the URL where I can find your writeup)
5) Place my button or logo in your sidebar on your blog or website (2 extra entries must have an active link to R&R)
6) Comment love. Enter any of my other Giveaways and/or comment on any non-giveaway post!
7) Email love. Share this Giveaway with friends and family via email and cc Leanne (at)raveandreview (dot) com (I will never, ever contact your email recipients)
8) Vote for Rave and Review on Top Baby Blogs, logo in right sidebar (daily entry, just tell me what rank R&R has)
On January 12th at 11:59pm PST a winner will be drawn, announced here and notified via email. Gift Card code will expire on 1/31/11, so you must be able to order your book by then! Winner will have 48 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen. Giveaway open to US Addresses.
Winner, winner! This giveaway is now closed. Thank you to all who entered and congratulations to:
#194 Ashley said...I would make a baby memory book, because my son is 2 now and I have yet to start one. atayner0183 at yahoo dot com
A big thank you to Mixbook for providing the sample for review as well as offering a giveaway to our fabulous readers. All opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.
